As is well known in the art, a crystal obeys properties such that there is a regular repeating internal arrangement of atoms. In addition, crystals obey two types of long-range orders. First, a crystal has orientational order, wherein all sides of the hexagonal faces of the crystal are parallel. Second, a crystal has translational order wherein parallel lines connecting the atoms of the crystal are spaced evenly.
Quasicrystals, on the other hand, have the same kind of order that is inherent in a crystal, but are also symmetrical in ways that are not displayed by a crystalline substance. While a crystal has threefold rotational symmetry, and sometimes fourfold and sixfold rotational symmetry, a crystal can never have fivefold rotational symmetry. By contrast, the quasicrystal has threefold, fourfold and fivefold symmetry. It has been discovered that a cold sample of an aluminum-manganese alloy obeys properties of both metallic crystal structures and glassy random structures. Prior hereto, quasicrystal structures exist only as mathematical models or atomic arrangements.
An article entitled "Quasicrystals" by David R. Nelson in the August 1986 issue of Scientific American, pages 43-51, describes the progress of the technology. In addition, a paper by Joshua E. Socolar and Paul J. Steinhardt describes how two ideal quasicrystal structures with identical orientational symmetry and unit can be constructed from diverse local configurations of cells. This paper is entitled "Quasicrystals. II. Unit-cell Configurations", and is found in the The American Physical Society, Jul. 15, 1986 issue, volume 34, number 2, at pages 617-633.
There have been structures designed having particular geometric characteristics which approach but fall short of quasicrystal characteristics. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,611,620 to Perry, which discloses toy blocks in rhombic hexahedra form which fit together to make geometric shapes such as the rhombic dodecahedron. In addition, U.S. Pat. No. 3,722,153 to Baer discloses a structural system having five-fold symmetries of the icosahedron and the dodecahedron. However, neither the Perry and Baer patents disclose structures having quasicrystal characteristics and features.
The present invention recognizes and utilizes the structural and visual advantages of quasicrystal structures to architectural bodies.